And again - greetings to you. There is SO much happening in my world at this time, that where to start is a problem. I shall, therefore, just go randomly as I think of things to share, and as it is about to pour with rain I shall tai-ho at the moment and collect the washing.
So, that's done - well, Ma Boiy is home from Melbourne for a while to consolidate - he is keen to try driving big rigs in Western Australia sometime, so is getting his HT licence here as it is cheaper. He is also doing a computer course so he has a bit more up-to-date information regarding those wretched things that rule our lives - he is lucky he hasn't got hooked into them yet!
The Captain is contemplating staying on in Nadi for a few more months - watch this space! I am on school holidays at the moment - but the weather thus far has been atrocious, and I have spent the best part of the last three days in my office downstairs sorting through things - the old philosophy of "if I haven't used it for 3 years, it's a goner" is running rampant in me at the moment. It was the garage's turn on Monday!
I have also taken more shots of my garden - for which I take absolutely no credit whatsoever - I have a lovely man who "does" for me in the garden, and between us we plan, and then he gets busy doing it - my kind of arrangement! So I shall try to remember to put those photos up before I send this live - I'm getting quite forgetful these days - NOT old age just don't seem to want to remember stuff that is not relevant immediately!
My blogging buddy poppiesanddaisies is over in Mooloolaba this week - so be sure to look onto her page shortly thereafter to catch up with their holiday. And my other best friend is off there with her three daughters this week - so I am catching up with my other friends whom I don't see through term time - coffees and lunches are the order of the day - yay!!!
The pictures are of: my beautiful Chatham Island Lily, which are really hard to be successful with - well, obviously NOT as I am NOT a gardener and this is how well it has done!; and my glorious blossom tree at the front gate and a delightful little camellia that graces the front of our home - so you can see that my little man does a good job!

I just can't get enough!

I am back on my hobby horse - and the joy is I'll never know how bored you are with this coz I won't know if you click off!! But these two were taken this morning - Christchurch had a 4degree frost, and while we rarely get them here, the top one was the close up view from the lounge at 7.47a.m. The second pic was about 30mins later when the local fertilizer factory started up for the day. Fortunately it is far enough away from us to be only used as a wind direction-finder - as you can see from this, there was NO wind at photo time. As I write this 90mins later, there is a slight easterly tilt to the smoke rise.
News from the family - The Captain texted (wonderful way of keeping in touch) and told us she is now officially a B Cat instructor in Nadi - that topped of one her most dreadful days in Nadi during this posting for her - a student at The Pacific Flying School was involved in a car crash on Tuesday, but the family had to decide to turn the life support off yesterday, and the whole Flying School staff were able to go and say their goodbyes earlier - not a nice experience for anyone to know what is going to be happening - one of the moments where being a parent is not such a good thing - to not be able to be there for the kids at times like this is heart-wrenching!



On a brighter note - the top photo is my favourite tree in my garden - this Magnolia is looking amazing at the moment, and as you can see, I have two bird feeders in it. we are lucky that Oompaloompah is too fat and lazy to climb and catch birds - she just lies in her window and watches (that photo will follow another day!

I SOO love our view!

I really do have a thing about the view from our lovely home, but I still can't believe the changes from day-to-day with the sunsets (and sunrises coming!) This was one evening recently after a horribly overcast, glum Christchurch day, and then the sun shone through this gap known as the "Nor'west Arch" - just before the dinner hour when Sir Ladbrook (who misses most of these glorious views due to having to bring home the bacon), comes home.So that was MY moment when I sit and contemplate my day, and enjoy the peaceful surroundings.
I now have to to share a bit about the residents of this lovely home - we have Moi, Sir Ladbrook, The Captain (26) and (no, Not Tenille) Mah Boiy (25). Both presently live O/seas: one in Nadi where she is a flying instructor for The Pacific Flying School -

and Mah Boiy who is a barista in Melbourne...more on them later, I'm sure!!

There is also Oompaloompah - our Very spoilt black cat who lets SL and I sleep in HER bed and..Katie (and Duck)...so there you have the tenants of our home on the hill..and this does not include the many, many birds we encourage into the garden, and the two bellbirds who serenade us of an evening.(it's ok- Oomplaoompah is too rotund to do any catching of said wildlife!)Anyway people. Later :)

Paradise re-visited

I am beginning to feel that I shall be doing a n incredible amount of blogging on my glorious Canterbury. I sat on my deck last evening admiring the most wonderful colours in the evening sky - and when I rang SIR LADBROOK (not his real name!!) who was on the "flats" of the city, he was unable to see the sunset - another reason why hill-living is so terrific. This picture was taken at 5.47 on the last day of winter 2007. Thus, today is the first day of spring in NZ.
I shall endeavour to share the beauty of Spring in Canterbury with those of you not fortunate enough to reside here - it is an experience...we can have the most perfectly still, calm, sunny days, but also have to endure either a howling easterly (our predominating wind) or temps that send one scrambling for the thermals once again.
So begins another glorious day in Paradise on Earth.
Later, folks :)